Probably an easily solved problem... BUT

I'm not very good!
I've had a look through this section in hope I find an answer and in hope that I wouldn't have to post a cry for help but couldn't find anything... or maybe i'm in the wrong place! I also "searched" for an answer too so I have tried....

All I want to be able to do is cut something out from another picture and paste it into a main one... example: cutting around a coke can and pasting it onto a picture of someones hand...

i've spent ages trying all the different tools, and I know it has to be really easy but I have given up now!

If anyone could help it would be greatly appreciated, or point me in the right direction, thanks!

You can do cutting a definite part of an image and put that into another. You just need to use the Paths Tool (press B on the keyboard or see the toolbox to select it) and then create connections around the part you want to get by adding nodes (small circles attached or unattached to one another).

Click the left mouse button while using the tool to create a node, then point the cursor to another area and click to create again. Do this simple steps to surround the object you want from an image. If you want to close the connection of 3 or more nodes , just hold ctrl then lm-click the last node to the first node. This applies for joining any unconnected nodes.

Editing is easy. You can click first + hold the click then drag to pull 1 of two lines to make a curve connection. You can do this with any nodes and pull there lines to edit. ctrl + clickingbetween the connection of nodes adds a node in the middle. To delete a node, just shift + click over it.

If you accidentally selected another tool and the paths disappeared, don't worry because they are not lost. To see them, go to the paths dialog [add (by clicking the box with a play symbol pointing to the left -> add tab -> paths) one to the tabs if it is not present] then double click the path layer to see it or click the first icon of a path layer to see an eye to see the path always.

After making a closed path, choose selection from path under the tool options and you will see broken lines. If you can't maybe the show selection is not checked under view(ctrl + t). Make sure that the selected layer is the image where you want to get the cut while copying or cutting or else you might get a blank or something from another layer.

That's it. You can cut or copy and get the part inside of the broken lines only. if it is the opposite, maybe the invert selection is chosen under select(ctrl + i)

When pasting to the same image, unselect first by ctrl + a then ctrl + v to paste. It will become a floating layer and shift + click new layer icon or just merge it or anchor (ctrl + h) to the another layer under it.

You can move layers by using move tool (or simply 'm' on keyboard). Be sure to choose "move active layer" under tool options

^
Short way: Open the "Hand" image in Gimp, go "File > Open as Layer" and select the Coke image, then resize it if necessairy (Resize tool in your toolbox). Next, go to the layers dialog, rightclick on the coke layer, click on "Add Alpha channel" to give it transparency.
Now just choose the eraser tool and carefully erase everything you do not want on the image. Finally resize/rotate/move the coke into the hand again.
Remember, this is the shortest, but not the BEST way (quality wise). For quality, just use the paths tool as Raven pointed out.

^
Short way: Open the "Hand" image in Gimp, go "File > Open as Layer" and select the Coke image, then resize it if necessairy (Resize tool in your toolbox). Next, go to the layers dialog, rightclick on the coke layer, click on "Add Alpha channel" to give it transparency.
Now just choose the eraser tool and carefully erase everything you do not want on the image. Finally resize/rotate/move the coke into the hand again.
Remember, this is the shortest, but not the BEST way (quality wise). For quality, just use the paths tool as Raven pointed out.

Click to expand...

Short indeed. I tried this in my early days on Gimp without knowledge of using layer masks. ;D

Thank you both very much! I'll give it a go.... hard way first just to annoy myself... fingers crossed! ;D

- And i'm sorry that I "keep" posting in the wrong section, I had a feeling I wasn't in the right place, I was looking for some sort of tutorial... BUT i'll be sure to post my second problem in the correct area of the forum! ^-^

Thank you both very much! I'll give it a go.... hard way first just to annoy myself... fingers crossed! ;D

- And i'm sorry that I "keep" posting in the wrong section, I had a feeling I wasn't in the right place, I was looking for some sort of tutorial... BUT i'll be sure to post my second problem in the correct area of the forum! ^-^

Click to expand...

Just cut or copy and paste the image (while selecting the layer) what you want to get when the lines are broken.
Some links with pics
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/Drawing_Shapes/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/Drawing_Shapes/</a>
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/Borders_On_Selections/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/Borders_On_Selections/</a>
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/Bezier_Selections/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/Bezier_Selections/</a>